Back in November, Amazon warned its customers that it planned to shut down a very popular Fire TV Stick app, but now we know the exact date you’ll lose access. If you watch films, shows or live TV using Amazon’s Freevee app, you will no longer be able to very soon.
Amazon has confirmed, as reported by TechCrunch, that Freevee will only be accessible until the end of August 2025, meaning come September 1, you will no longer be able to watch Freevee on your Fire TV Stick or TV, iOS or Android device.
Freevee is Amazon’s ad-supported content app that you can download and enjoy free streams of movies, TV shows and even some live TV broadcasts. But Amazon appears to want to simplify its branding, and will be moving Freevee’s free content, which is available even to people who do not pay for Amazon Prime, to the Prime Video app, where it will be labelled “Watch for Free”.
Freevee is currently the home of shows such as Jury Duty, Alex Rider, Bosch: Legacy and Hell’s Kitchen USA.
“Prime Video is the new exclusive home for Freevee TV shows, moves and Live TV,” Freevee customers have been told in a pop-up in the Freevee app.
“The Freevee app will be accessible until August 2025.
“Continue watching your favourite Freevee Originals and our library of hit movies, shows, and live TV on Prime Video for free, no subscription needed. Download Prime Video to get started and sign in with your Amazon account.”
Amazon may want to simplify its video content under the Prime Video umbrella, but it may also want to move Freevee users to its Prime Video app to tempt them into subscribing to Prime Video. Freevee is totally free, but moving its users to an app where much of the content is paid for could drive subscription revenue for Amazon.
As of September 1, no one will have the choice. You’ll be forced to use the Prime Video app.
You may however already be a Prime Video subscriber, in which case it could be handier to browse all available Amazon content in one app, instead of also having to surf Freevee as you do at the moment.
I personally find the Prime Video app a bit of a mess. Unlike Netflix or Disney+, I find that Prime Video often serves me thumbnails or ads for films and TV shows I can’t watch even if I am signed up to Prime, because Amazon chooses to promote films that are only available via rental or purchase, or because the firm wants to try and upsell me to an additional content subscription for services such as Hayu.